Oscillating fan



F. DIEHL.

OSCILLATING FAN. APPLICATION FILED FEB.6,1919.

3L A QS 151 0 Patented Jan. w, 1922..

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J}; Mew Frederic/r Die/v/ I F. DIEHL. OSC ILATING FAN.

APPLLCATION FILED FEB. 6, 19l9 L43A51 D Patented Jan. 10, 1922.

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FREDERICK DIEHL, F ELIZABETH, NEVJ ASSIGNOR T0 DIEHL MANUFAC- TURING 00., OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, A CGBPORATION OF NEVI' JERSEY osorrte'rrive ran.

Application filed February 6, 1919.

To all calm-mit may concern:

Be it known that I, Fmionmoit DIEHL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented new and use ful Improvements in Oscillating Fans, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an oscillating fan.

More particularly it relates to that type of fans in which the oscillation thereof is accomplished by mechanism driven from the fan motor.

A crank mechanism is ordinarily em ployed in a fan of this type. l-leretofore the crank mechanism has been mounted for rotation in vertical bearings carried by the motor casing and a suitable link has been employed to operatively connect the crank mechanism with i the fixed fan support. Such a crank mechanism is objectionable, however, in that the connecting link is easily bent or broken and the operation of the en tire mechanism thus impaired.

One object of this invention is to provide an oscillating mechanism for fans which shall be free from the above objection.

Another object is to provide an improved mechanism for oscillating the head of the fan with respect to the fan support.

Another object is to provide a simple, compact, rugged mechanism for effecting the oscillation of the fan with respect to the fan support. 7

Another object is to provide improved means for adjusting the extent of oscillation of the fan- Another object is to provide means for varying the oscillation of the fan, which means may be readily operated or controlled during the operation of the fan.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one embodiment of the invention.

The views of the drawings are as follows:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an electric fan, portions of the mechanism being broken away to uncover normally hidden parts.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. it), 1922.

Serial No. 275,373.

Fig. is an end elevation of the crank mechanism employed.

Fig. i is a plan partly in section of the parts shown in F 2, illustrating in plan the two extreme positions assumed by the crank mechanism during the oscillation of the head of the fan.

The fan illustrated in the accompanying' drawings comprises in general a standard 1, having a base 2, and supporting the motor frame or casing 3, hereinafter referred to as the head of the fan. The casing 3 carries the fan blades 4i and guard 5. llhe head of thefan is pivotally mounted on the standard by means of a stud 6, carried by the head andjournaled in a socket 7 in the standard. Stud 6 is held against withdrawal by means of a set screw 8 projecting into an annular groove 9 in the stud. The standard may be formed in two sections, as shown, hingedly connected at 10 and held in adjusted position by means of a suitable clamp screw 11.

The means hereinafter described for offooting the oscillation of the head of the fan comprises a crank mechanism mounted for rotation in bearings rigidly connected with the head of the fan. The crank mechanism is driven from the armature shaft of the fan motor through a suitable reducing gear ing also carri d by the head of the fan. A pin carried and actuated by the crank mechanism projects at all times into an opening in the fixed fan support so that upon rotation of the crank mechanism, the crank mechanism and its bearings are caused to move bodily with respect to the support.

A housing 16 is rigidly connected with the motor casing 3. The housing constitutes a support for the crank mechanism. It also encloses the reducing gearing by means of which the crank mechanism is driven from the motor shaft.

One end 12 of the motor armature shaft is mounted in a suitable bearing 15 in the housing. T his end of the motor shaft is reduced to take a worm 13, secured thereto. Worm l3 meshes with a worm gear 21 secured to the upper end of shaft 20. The lower end of shaft is seated for rotation in a socket 25 in the lower end of the housing while the upper end thereof is journaled in a bearing 19 formed in a plug 17. As shown, plug 17 is screwed into the upper end of the housing and forms a closure therefor.

A hollow plug 27 secured in an opening 26 near the lower end of the housing constitutes abearing for the crank mechanism. The crank mechanism includes a hollow shaft 29 mounted for rotation in a bearing sleeve 28 positioned in the hollow plug 27. One end of. shaft 29 projects into the housing 16 and carries a worm gear 30 in mesh with a worm 23 secured to the lower end of shaft 20. i

A head 31 is secured to the outer end of shaft 29 by means of a set screw 32. As shown more particularly in Fig. 3, a circular recess 33 is provided in the end face of the head. The recess is arranged eccentrically of the axis of rotation of the head and forms a seat fora crankdisk 34. A face plate 35, secured to the head by screws 36, retains the disk in its seat. A crank pin 37 carried by the disk projects through a suitable opening in the face plate.

A plunger 38 is slidably mounted in a 7 suitable bore 39 in the head. The plunger is yieldingly pressed against the periphery of the disk by means of a' spring 41. screw 42-is positioned in the outer end of the bore bears against the spring and controls the tension thereof.

The plunger is designed to cooperate with the notches inthe periphery of the disk to restrain rotation of the disk in its seat.

As shown, one side or base of each of the notches 40 merges into the peripheral wall of the disk while the other side forms an abrupt shoulder 43 therewith. By this construction the-plunger 38 yieldingly resists rotation of the disk in its seat in a clockwise direction (Fig. 3) and by engagement with shoulder 43 positively prevents such rotation in a counter-clockwise direction. In order that the flat end ofthe plunger may squarely abut the base of the notch 40, the plungeris so mountedthat its longitudinal axis is slightly offset from a position radially of the disk.

An open sided socket 44 is provided in the upper section of the fan standard. The

. crank pin 37 isso mounted as to project at all times into this socket. .A cylindrical member 45 is seated fOr. rocking movement in thesocket and is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 46. The slot is of sufficient width to slidingly take the projecting end of the crank pin. The crank pin may be provided with a bearing sleeve 47 to engage the, walls of'the slot. Member 45 is inserted into the socket 44 through the upper open end thereof.

The opcratlon of the mechanism thus far described, may be briefly sumn'iarized as follows. Upon rotation of the motor armature shaft a slow rotation, in a clockwise direction (Fig. 3), is imparted to shaft 29 and head 31 through the reducing gearing hereinbefore described. The engagement of plunger 38 with shoulder 43 prevents relative rotation of crank disk 34 with respect to the head 31. Consequently, crank pin 37 is caused to move in'a circular path concentric with the axis of rotation of the head.

During this movement, crank pin '37 travels up and down in slot 46 of member 45. Since the pin is confinedin this slot,

the relative horizontal movements between the pin and the center of rotation of the crank mechanism causes a relative horizon tal, bodily movement of the crank mecha nism with respect to the standard. The crank mechanism is, however, mounted in bearings rigidly connected with the pivoted head of the fan. the crank mechanism result, therefore, in the oscillation of the head of the fan with re spect to the fan standard.

Figure 4 illustrates the two extreme positions assumed by the crank mechanism during the oscillation of the head of the fan. It will be noted that pin37 projects at all times into the socket 44 and that rockable member 45 insures a positive connection between pin 37 and the standard and yet permits necessary variations in the angular re lation between the crank pin and standard.

Portions of the standard adjacent the socket 44 are shown cut away as at 54 to provide clearance for the pin 37. These cut away portions do not, however, extend the The bodily movements of full length of the socket. As shown in Fig.

1, the extreme upper end of the standard is Upon rotation of the disk in its seat in a clockwise direction (Fig. 3) the distance of pin 37 from the axis of rotation of head 31 may be varied. One position to which the pin may be thus adjusted is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. Y

The mechanism shown for causing rotation of the disk 34 in its seat includes a pinion 49' mounted concentrically of thedisk and in mesh with vinion 50 secured to one end of shaft 51. Eihaft 51 is rotatably mounted in hollow shaft 29 and extends through a suitable aperture in the wall of housing 16. A burr 52 is secured to the free end of this shaft by a set screw 53.

The disk 34 and pm may be adjusted 7 while the crank mechanism is atrest by rountil the next succeeding notch 40 comes beneath the plunger 38 or until pin 37 reaches the dotted line position.

During the normal rotation of the head 31, disk 34, pin 87, and pinion 49 are bodily carried about the axis of rotation of the head which axis coincides with the longitudinal axis of shaft 51. The interengagement of pinion 49 with pinion 50 causes shaft 51 to rotate with the head and at the same speed. An adjustment similar to that above described may therefore be accomplished while the crank mechanism is rotating by grasping burr 52 and holding shaft 51 against rotation. This causes relative rotation of the disk with respect to the head in the same direction as that above described. It is obvious, however, that a quicker adjustment may be obtained by actually rotating burr 52 and shaft 51 in a direction contrary to the direction of rotation of head 31 while the crank mechanism is in operation.

The foregoing is a detailed description of one specific embodiment of the invention. It will be understood that the detailed description is for the purpose of making clear the construction and operation of one form of the invention and should not therefore be construed as a limitation upon the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In an oscillating fan the combination or" a support having an opening therein, a head portion, including a fan motor, pivotally mounted above said opening on said support for rotation about a vertical axis, a crank mechanism carried by said head portion and having a pin projecting into the opening in said support, and means operatively connected with said fan motor for actuating said crank mechanism, and bodily moving same through an are outside of the opening in the support.

2. In an oscillating fan the combination with a head portion, a support therebelow having a. slot, an inwardly extending pin carried by said head portion and mounted for sliding movement in said slot, and means for imparting a rotary motion to said pin with respect to said head portion to oscillate said head portion in a horizontal plane above said support.

3. An oscillating fan having a support a head portion pivotally mounted for movement about a vertical axis above said support, and means for oscillating said head portion in a horizontal plane above said support, said means including a crank mechanism carried by said head portion below the point of pivotal support and rotatable in a plane parallel to the pivotal axis of said head portion.

4. In an oscillating fan the combination of support, a head portion above the support and pivotally mounted thereon, and means for oscillating said head portion with respect to said support in a horizontal plane, said means including a crank mechanism carried by and below said head portion and rotatable about an extending substantially radially oi" the pivotal axis of said head portion.

In an oscillating fan the combination of a standard having a vertically extending opening therein, a motor pivotally mounted on said standard for movement about a vertical axis, an inwardly extendin pin supported b J said motor casing and extend ing into the opening in said standard, and means for bodily rotating said pin about an axis extending substantially radially oi the standard to oscillate said casing with respect to said standard in a substantially horizontal plane.

6. In an oscillating fan the combination of a support, a vertically extending guide mounted therein for movement about a vertical axis, a head portion pivotally mounted on said support for movement about a vertical axis, an inwardly extending crank pin carried by the head and co operating with the guide, means for bodily moving said pin. relative to said head in a vertical plane, and means for. adjusting the position of said pin relative to the guide to vary the arc of oscillation of said head.

7. In an oscillating fan including a support and a head mounted thereon for rotation about a vertical'axis, means for oscillating said head including a crank mecha 'nism mounted for rotation in a vertical plane, an inwardly extending crank pin adjustably mounted on said mechanism, and means operatively connected with said pin and extending along the axis of rotation of said mechanism for adjusting the position of said pin to vary the arc of oscillation.

8. In an oscillating fan having a standard and a head portion pivotally mounted on the standard for oscillation in a horizontal plane, comprising means for positively oscillating said head, said means comprising a vertical guide rotatably mounted in the standard, and a crank mechanism carried by the head and operatively connected with the guide.

9. An oscillating fan comprising a support, a head portion pivotally mounted on the support for oscillation in a horizontal plane, and means for positively oscillating said head, said means including a vertically extending guide way in the support below the head and a crank mechanism carried by the head and having a pin rotatable about a horizontal axis, said pin extending into said guide whereby a relatively large angle of oscillation for the head is effected llO by a relatively small movement of the crank pin.

10. In an oscillating fan the combination of a support, a head portion pivotally mounted thereon for oscillation in a horizontal plane, crank mechanism carried by and extending below the head, said mechanism having a pin arranged to rotate in a vertical plane adjacent said support, and vertical guiding means in the support adapt- 10 ed to receive said pin. In Witness whereof, I have hereunto scribed my name.

' FREDERICK DIEHL.

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